Principal's Message

Edmund Rice Education - Touchstones

As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, Trinity College embraces the four guiding Touchstones as outlined in the Charter of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA). The four Touchstones; Liberating Education, Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community, and Justice and Solidarity - perpetuate the legacy of Blessed Edmund Rice, the founder of the Christian Brothers, and seek to capture the charism and vision of all EREA schools. Recently, following on from an extensive and thorough process of consultation with key stakeholders, EREA has presented a more contemporary interpretation of ‘The Charter’. This recently launched document can be found here:

As part of our many liturgical celebrations, Religious Education curriculum, Formation programs, College events and communications, the presence and understanding of these Touchstones are explored with a view to identifying how we can live them out in the context of today. The Touchstones at Trinity are expanded upon in more detail here:

At Trinity College, the Touchstones lay at the heart of our Mission -To offer innovative learning opportunities in a safe and nurturing environment which empowers our young men to realise their potential. As a Catholic College founded on the traditions of the Blessed Edmund Rice, his example of solidarity with all people challenges us to live out the message of care and inclusion, a timely and important message to consider as we approach the Christmas season. In partnership with parents, we hold high expectations for the young men in our care and we seek to provide a breadth of learning opportunities in a safe and caring environment, enabling academic growth, pride in their College, and a commitment to serve others, both now and in the future.

Trinity College seeks to provide a holistic education. We should challenge our students to be independent thinkers with the courage and persistence to confront injustice in our society.  We should challenge them to stand against the mediocrity so often prevalent in popular culture and encourage our young men to discover what has true worth in this world and to place real and ongoing value upon it. This is a reference to a deeper sense of formation. To foster this development, the College encourages a culture of critical thinking, resilience, selflessness, accountability, inclusivity and awareness of their role in stewardship, concepts that are clearly articulated in the guiding Touchstones presented in the EREA Charter.

To be effective in the formation of ‘Men for Others’, the Touchstones are designed to be active values with a view to becoming more deeply embedded in the students' understanding of their own self and identity. That is, the Touchstones are engaging and dynamic which, when placed within an environment that is nurturing and supportive, encourages students to develop the confidence to immerse themselves into a way of being and thinking that seeks the good for others and ultimately themselves. This very point was central in my message to our Graduating Class several weeks ago. Such experience can often be challenging and sometimes confronting, but the inevitable outcome is a deeper understanding and more authentic compassion and empathy for ‘the Other’.

Live Jesus in our hearts.

Mr Darren O’Neill 

Principal